re: Apple iOS 6 Wishlist: 10 Features We Want
This article has one of the two main items on my wish list. Alternative keyboards. For years I used Fitaly on windows phones, which, once you get use to its strange layout, allows you to type 1 handed at rates close to that of a keyboard touch typist without errors. I've never used Swype but I get the impression that it is just as good. Trying to type on the iPhone keyboard is clumsy and slow and on the iPad it can be even slower.
The main thing I would like for the iPhone is build in Text to Speach with an API that allows all programs to access it. I'm amazed I have seen this request before. I want to be able to go jogging, or cycling or even just go for a walk down to the shops and be able to listen to my emails being read out, or Internet articles (like in the safari reader mode but with audio). An App, SpeakIt does do this, but trying to cut&paste into it each article is time consuming and not worth the effort. Also, the safari reader mode doesn't allow cut&paste at all, which is where it would be most convenient to be able to cut and paste into SpeakIt. the irony is that iOS even includes Text-To-Speach abilities for the sight impaired, so why not just add an API for Email, Safari reading and any other applications.
As someone mentioned, some way of 'mousing' or cursor control without touch would be nice when using an external keyboard, but this is just a nice to think abut type of thing.
The other one, despite what Steve Jobs has stated, Apple needs to make a 7" tablet. Admitting a mistake here would do damage to their and Steves reputation of infallibility. But this will be a huge market. I also bought a kindle fire. Although it has a few nice touches, I especially like the feature where after following a link from an email to as Internet site, you have a back button that closes that site and brings you straight back to the same email. But apart from that the software is a POS. It is a forked version of a primitive version of Android that doesn't even allow access to Apps on the Android store. Many Internet sites only show the first page full of data and it is impossible to scroll down and see the rest. Yes really! Oh, and it's keyboard is essentially useless for typing, I average about 1error per word. I was being harsh calling the iPhone/iPad keyboard clumsy, but this keyboard really is clumsy!
But yet. I'm still twice as likely to take the kindle out with me as the iPad, just for reason alone that it just the right size and weight to carry around and hold comfortable while surfing, reading emails etc. And if I could find some way to root it and put a proper operating system on it such as Android (or iOS if that were ever possible) my current iPad would just become an niche device just used for the occasional activity needing a larger screen.
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5/12/2012 | 12:28:37 AM